


Acting the Scrubs

by T-Rex (tmishkin)



Category: Scrubs (TV), Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Genre: Gen, TV Shows from 20 Years Ago;, The Scrubs AU that Nobody Asked For; Except CMOTScribbler; Hospital Setting; Crack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:49:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29573451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmishkin/pseuds/T-Rex
Summary: Will Laurence and his best friend Lung Tien “Tem” Xiang are brand-new interns at Loch Laggan Medical Center.
Relationships: William Laurence & Temeraire
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Acting the Scrubs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CMOTScribbler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CMOTScribbler/gifts).



“How was your first day, Tem, my dear?”

“Kinda rough. I don’t feel like I fit in here, Laurence. If I have to explain my name to one more person, I’m gonna scream!”

_Hi, my name is Tem._

_Oh, is that Chinese?_

_No, it’s French, short for Temeraire._

_Oh, you don’t look French._

_I’m not._

_Is Temeraire your real name?_

_My full legal name is Lung Tien Xiang._

_Uh, that’s a real mouthful. Can I call you Tim?_

“Shit,” said Will, disgusted.

“No, Xiang!”

“My day wasn’t that great either,” Will sighed. “I got off on the wrong foot with one of the janitors. I don’t know, everyone seems to like him, but I think he’s weird. He kept calling me “Doctor” and “Sir” in this smarmy tone. Looked like he might even salute me. On the positive side, I met someone who likes chess. His name is Jeremy Rankin. So maybe my social life is looking up!”

“We’ll always have each other, Laurence.”

“I know, my dear. We’ve been roommates since freshman year of college—chest bump!”

ONE WEEK LATER

“Hey, Tem, you know how everyone back home kept saying that the Medical Corps was really different but they didn’t say why? Have you figured that out yet?”

“Honestly, I was too busy trying not to fall asleep while intubating my patients.”

“Well, I did notice people staring at us, like they don’t get our relationship.”

_Why do you call him “my dear” and he calls you “Laurence?”_

_Doesn’t everyone call their college roommate “my dear”?_

_Why are you guys always hugging?_

_Why not?_

_Is that your boyfriend?_

_Is that your business?_

“I am a bit concerned about that Rankin guy that you’ve been playing chess with, Will. I heard that he has a stuffed dog in his apartment.”

“Stuffed? Like he fed him too much?”

“No, Will. Stuffed, like taxidermy.”

“Oh wow, Tem, that’s creepy! Not that I’m judging him. Maybe he just really, really loved his dog.”

“According to Dr. Roland, he got it at a yard sale.”

“Okay, that’s gross. Maybe I need to rethink those chess games…”

SOME TIME LATER…OKAY, A MONTH LATER

“I can’t believe we’ve been here a whole month, Will.”

“Well, considering we’ve gotten about one good night’s sleep in thirty days...”

“I feel like I’m finally starting to figure out Dr. Bonaparte, though. You know, he acts really nice when we do rounds, but I heard him telling Dr. Celeritas to cancel a kidney transplant because the patient doesn't have health insurance.”

“That’s just wrong!” Will said indignantly.

“I guess it’s right if the bottom line is what you care about.”

Will groaned. “Ugh. And he calls the male interns “sport” and the female ones “sweetheart.” It’s really getting on my nerves.”

“That’s so 19th century! Or maybe he thinks it's easier than learning our names.”

“Or looking at our name tags.”

“Everyone who looks at my name tag just gets confused,” sighed Tem.

“I’m so sorry, my dear. You have a beautiful name!”

They hugged, then stared at everyone who was staring at them.

“Did you know that regular hugging increases your life expectancy by 5 years?” Laurence said loudly.

“You two are gonna live forever, then,” quipped one of the nurses.

“But seriously, Tem, Cathy—you know, Catherine Harcourt, the 19 year old whiz kid—told me she was going to ask Dr. Bonaparte to stop calling her “sweetheart,” but Dr. Celeritas warned her against it. Something about picking her battles, which I guess is kinda true.”

“How are we going to end gender discrimination if we’re afraid to challenge authority? Cathy’s right, and we should back her up, Laurence!”

“You’re right, my dear. I know, let’s get all the interns to write “Dr. Sweetheart” on their name tags. Dr. Bonaparte won’t know whose idea it was…”

"That's brilliant!"

**Author's Note:**

> CMOTScribbler has released another plot bunny!


End file.
